Book Review: The Chosen by Chaim Potok

For those who were wondering what happened to my blog over the last few days (I only managed to spam you with a few Kol Isha postings): I was reading The Chosen from Chaim Potok and just couldn’t put it down!

Potok (1929-2002) was an eloquent and prolific writer. He managed to capture my imagination throughout all of the book’s 280 or so pages and I can’t wait to buy and read some more of his books!

I vaguely remember having seen the movie when I was young. However, it is different in some points to the original. I recall wondering why on earth a Rebbe would play chess with his son! I guess this comes closest to the Talmudic conversations between father and son, because the average viewer would not understand it. Also, I remember finding Danny’s sister really pretty and that romance was an important part of the movie.

There were some points that may be different in real life for some:

• A chossid in Williamsburg called Danny? Perhaps Duniel, but more realistic would be Nussi, Yoili or Levi Yitzchok.
• Danny Saunders playing baseball with ‘apikorsim’ (chas vesholom!).
• Reuven Malter having conversations with the Rebbetzin and her daughter.
• The Rebbe coming to terms with his son going for a masters in Psychology, cutting off his peyos and shaving his beard?

To conclude, some points that must’ve been autobiographic for Potok:

• His parents came from Poland and he received an Orthodox Jewish education; this may have caused considerable friction and a religious crisis.
• WWII must have played an important role in his hand his parents’ life (he was in his teens at that time); it also did in the book.
• He received his B.A. from Yeshiva University summa cum laude; an allusion to the ‘Hirsch College’?
• He became a Conservative Rabbi (Jewish Theological Seminary, where he received his M.A. in Hebrew literature); Danny Saunders also became less orthodox and Reuven Malter learnt Talmud using scientific methods, controversial to Orthodox Judaism.
• His marriage to a psychiatric social worker (Adena Sara Mosevitzsky) may have given him some inside information about psychology.

I found myself being elated for Danny Saunders for having such a successful transformation, but also for Reuven Malter, as he followed his heart (becoming a Rabbi) and got what he wanted. Except for Danny’s sister, of course ;)